Starting device for automobile-engines.



v A. M. WALSTROM.

smn'rme DEVICE PORVAUTOMOBILB ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 6, 1910. I 958,985, Patented May 24, 1910 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Y w w e! y W W "H (fir/455555 Z v A. M, WALSTROM. STARTING DEVIGE FOR AUTOMOBILE ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED JAILG, 1910.

Patented May 24,1910.

3 sums-sum 2;

A. M. WALSTROM.' STARTING 'DEVIOE FOR AUTOMOBILE ENGINES.

APYLIOATION FILED IAN. 6. 1910. V

Patented May 24, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 8.

40/ f/vzzss E5 Mada r01? AXEL M. WALSTROM, OFv MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA...

STARTING DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILE-ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 24, 1910.

Application filedJanuary'G, 1910. Serial No. 536,649.

To all whom it may concem:

Be it known that I, Axni. M. WALSTROM, i bers usually of a channel section as shown of Minneapolis, Hennepin county, Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Starting Devices for Au tomobile-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the type of automobiles having a non-detachable starting crank in the front end thereof, and the object of my invention is to provide means whereb said starting crank may be ope rated om the drivers seat, thereby making it unnecessary for the driver to walk around to the front of the automobile to start the engine.

My invention consists of flexible means connecting the crank with a handle conveniently located within reach of the driver, and automatic means for shifting the crank into and .out of engagement with the engine crank shaft.

My invention consists, further, of providin' an anti-friction pulley on the front end 0 the automobile over which said flexible connection passes and thereby transmitting the longitudinal movement of the ope ratanghandle into a transverse movement of the-starting crank.

7 Further, my invention consists of means whereby the shifting of the starting crank 21 near the drivers seat.

Further my invention consists of various features and combinations as hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side be accomplished by actuating a foot,

view of the forward portion of an automobile with one wheel and part of the fender broken away to more clearly illustrate my invention as applied'thereto. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a front view of the starting device. Fig. 4 is a tion.

plan view of the automatic shifting device, showing: the disengaged 7 position. Flg. 5 is alsimilar view showing the engaged position. Fig. 6 is a side; view of a crank shifting device operated by a foot-pedal.

Fig. 7 is a plan view, showin a modification of the device illustrate in Fig. 6. Fig. 8 'is a plan view of another modifica- In the drawings, '2 re resents an auto-' mobile'having front whee s 3 and a seat 4.

5 and 6 are. the longitudinal frame momin F ig.' 3, and extending forward beyond the radiator 7. At the lower edge of the radiator the starting crank 8 is mounted on a short shaft 9 that is slidable in a bearing 10 and provided at its inner end with a sleeve 11 having teeth 12 to engage similar teeth or projections on the engine crank shaft 18. This is the most usual construction and I make no claim to the same herein.

On the forward end of the frame member 5 I provide a bracket 14 carrying an antifriction Wheel or pulley 15, A flexible con.- nection 16, preferably a leatherstrap, passes over the wheel 15 and has one end removably attached to the handle of the crank 8 and is provided at its other end with a grip or handle 17 which is normally supported, within convenient reach of the driver, on a bracket 18 that is preferably secured to the dashboard but may be secured to the foothoard or side of the car.

For the purpose of automatically moving the shaft 9 with its toothed sleeve 11 into engagement with the engine crank shaft I provide the following mechanism. On the shaft 9 I provide collars 19 and 20, the

cured to the frame members 5 and 6 by clips 28. The connections 24 and 25 are attached to the links 22 and 23 on opposite sides of the center of they shaft 9, so that the tension of the springs 26 and 27 tends to revolve the shaft 9 in a direction opposite to that of the engine crank shaft. The normal or inoperative position of'the crankand-toggle-joints is shown in full lines in Figs. 3 and 4, with the toggle-joints extended and the teeth 12 drawn out of contact with the engine crank shaft.

The driver, wishing to start the engine without leaving his seat, grasps the handle "17 and releasing it from the bracket 18, al-

lows the springs 26 and 27 to revolvev the crank until it reaches the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3, at which point the toggle-joints will be broken and thereby drawing the collars 19 and '20 together (see Fig. 5) and sliding the shaft 9 in its bearing until the toothed sleeve 11 en ages theengine crank shaft. Now, the drlver will pull on the handle 17 and thereby start the engine, and as the crankreachesthe point shown by full lines in Fig.3, the toggle-joints will again beextended. and the crank resume its.

inoperative position. If the enginefails to start with the first effort, the operation may be repeated until it does.

p In some cases it may be desirable to shift the crank by a suitable mechanism operated from the drivers seat bya foot-pedal or lever. This can be accomplished inmany I i different ways, but preferably by the mechanisms I amabout to describe.

As shown in Fig. 6,11 mount a rock shaf 29 across the front of the automobile, which is adapted to be rocked by a foot pedal-30 on a bell crank 31 having a connection 32 with a depending arm 33 on the rock shaft.

Another arm 34% also dependsfrom said rock shaft and engages thecrank and moves it I into engagement with the engine crank shaft when the pedal 30 is depressed.

As shown in Fig. '7 one end ,of a bar 35 is pivoted at 36 on the frame member 6 and its opposite end is provided with an operat-ing rod 37. Theishaft 9 passes through said bar and is connected thereto by the sleeve 11 and a spring 38 which is adapted to return the crank to its starting point.

, vided with another arm having an operating pedal 46, which, when depressed, will rock the shaft 44 and revolve the sleeve 40 and "cause the cam surfaces to engage and -move the sleeve 11 into engagement with the engine crank shaft. A spring 47 serves the double purpose of disengaging the crank and returning it to its starting point.

The various details, as herein described, may be modified in many ways without departing from the principle of my invention, and I do not wishto as shown.

I claim as my invention: 1. In a starting device for automobile engines, the combination of an automobile having an explosive engine and a starting crank therefor, of a pulley. provided near said crank, a flexible connection cooperating with said pulley and having one end attached to the hand-lo of said crank and its seat of said automobile. I

. In a starting"device for, automobile en gines, the combination of an automobile .havingan explosive engine and a starting crank therefor, of a pulley provided near said crank, flexible means oooperatin with" said pulley and having one end attac ed'to' the handle of said crank and its otherend' detachably sup orted near the seat of said automobilefan provided with a suitable handle, means for ret-urning,said crank to its starting point. 1

3. In a starting device for automobile engines, the combination" of an automobile having an explosive engine and a starting crank therefor, of a pulley provided near said crank, flexiblemeans cooperating with.

said pulley and having one end attached to the handle of said crank and its other end provided with'a handle. detachably supported near the seat of said automobile, means for, returning said crank to its starting point,

and means for connecting and disconnecting said engine and crank.

I 4. In a starting device for automobile engines, the combination of an automobile having 'an explosive engine and a starting crank therefor, of a pulley provided near said crank, flexible means cooperating with said pulley and having one end attached to said crank and itsother end extending to a point near the seatof said automobile and provided with a suitable handle, means for returning said' crank to its starting point, .and automatic means for connecting and disconnecting said engine and crank.

In a startin device for automobile engines, the combination of an automobile having an explosive engine and a, starting crank-therefor, of a flexible-means connecting said starting crank with a handle located near-the seat of said automobile, automatic means for connecting and disconnecting said engine and crank and consisting of toggle-joints connecting said crank to a sliding collar thereon, means connecting the middle joint of said. toggles to springs provided on said automobile, and said togglebeconfined to the same joints adapted to be alternately extended and collapsed at predetermined points in mentioned. 7

. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 3d day of J anuary 1910.

AXEL M. WALSTROM.

Witnesses:

G; E. SORENSEN, L. G. CRONEN.

the revolution of said crank for the purpose 

